Director Roland Emmerich and producer Dean Devlin have been gearing up to start casting the sequel, for which screenwriter James Vanderbilt penned two distinctly different drafts. One featured Smith’s character as the protagonist, while Plan B focuses on other characters.

Emmerich has been meeting with Hollywood’s hottest young actors including “Fruitvale Station” star Michael B. Jordan, who is high on the studio’s list. Fox execs have thrown Jordan’s name around in several creative meetings — and Jordan is interested in taking on the lead in a blockbuster sci-fi franchise, depending on where it might fit into his increasingly busy schedule.

Should Fox make an offer, the studio would effectively be doubling down on Jordan’s star potential, as the actor is poised to play the Human Torch in its “Fantastic Four” reboot, as TheWrap first reported.

While Smith and rising star Jordan would’ve made a nice pairing, 20th Century Fox surely has a contingency plan in place, as “Independence Day” has significant brand recognition and the kids who grew up worshipping the movie are now the demographic driving ticket sales at the box office.